Contents
1 Welcome to Cambridge
3 Cambridge programmes
and qualifications
5 Cambridge Primary
8 Support for Cambridge teachers
10 Join the Cambridge community
11 What next?
www.cie.org.uk
We think the Cambridge curriculum is
superb preparation for university.
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www.cie.org.uk
Welcome to Cambridge
Cambridge International Examinations prepares school students for life, helping them develop
an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of Cambridge Assessment,
a department of the University of Cambridge.
Our international qualifications are recognised by the world’s best universities and employers, giving students a wide range of options in their education and career. As a not-for-profit organisation, we devote our resources to delivering high-quality educational programmes that can unlock learners’ potential. Our programmes and qualifications set the global standard for
international education. They are created by subject experts, rooted in academic rigour and reflect the latest educational research. They provide a strong platform for learners to progress from one stage to the next, and are well supported by teaching and learning resources.
We develop our qualifications according to our Code of Practice and the Cambridge Approach. We are accredited as an awarding body
by Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation), the UK government’s regulator for awarding organisations and qualifications in England. Every year, nearly a million Cambridge learners from 10 000 schools in 160 countries prepare for their future with an international education from Cambridge.
Benefits for you and
your school
When you choose Cambridge, you create a relationship with an organisation that has an excellent reputation as the leader in international education. Our reputation will help strengthen the status of your school, as you become part of the global Cambridge learning community. We listen carefully to our community of schools to make sure we understand the needs of learners around the world.
Benefits for your learners
Cambridge programmes and
qualifications have a proven reputation for being an excellent preparation for university, employment and life. Your learners can be confident that the results they receive are fairly awarded against our consistent global standard.
Every year, many thousands of Cambridge learners achieve the grades they need to progress to their chosen university. Leading universities and employers worldwide value and recognise Cambridge qualifications as evidence of academic ability. They open doors for Cambridge learners. Together with schools, we develop Cambridge learners who are
confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged – equipped for success in the fast-changing modern world.
Over
10000
schools in more than160
countriesoffer Cambridge programmes and
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Cambridge students develop a
deep understanding of subjects and
independent thinking skills
Tony Hines, Principal, Rockledge High School, USA
Cambridge learners
The Cambridge approach supports schools to develop learners who are:
• confident in working with information and ideas – their own and those of others • responsible for themselves, responsive to and respectful of others
• reflective as learners, developing their ability to learn • innovative and equipped for new and future challenges
• engaged intellectually and socially, and ready to make a difference in the world.
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www.cie.org.uk
The programmes are progressive, giving you and your learners a clearly defined path to success from 5 to 19 years. Our four stages lead seamlessly from primary to secondary and pre-university years, and each stage builds on the learners’ development from the previous one. We offer flexibility, allowing you to shape Cambridge curricula to the needs and abilities of your learners. You can offer our programmes and qualifications for learners at every stage, or focus on specific ones.
Our programmes and qualifications are compatible with other curricula, so you are free to build a unique
curriculum that suits your school’s values. When you register with us we will give you support and guidance on how to implement Cambridge programmes, so that you make a smooth transition.
We offer comprehensive support in four areas, designed carefully around the needs of Cambridge learners and teachers:
• Curriculum: develops learners’ knowledge, understanding and skills. Our curriculum sets clear goals for learners and teachers.
• Classroom: support and guidance helps teachers and learners
perform to their maximum ability. We offer world-class teacher and learner resources.
• Qualifications: provide learners with a global passport to success. We offer reliable, rigorous and flexible assessment, leading to internationally recognised qualifications.
• Community: brings Cambridge schools, teachers and learners closer together through the sharing of best practice and ideas.
Cambridge programmes and qualifications
Cambridge programmes and qualifications are carefully designed to engage your learners and
give them solid foundations to achieve high levels of academic and personal attainment.
Cambridge Primary
Cambridge Primary Checkpoint
Cambridge ICT Starters
Cambridge Secondary 1
Cambridge Secondary 1 Checkpoint
Cambridge ICT Starters
Cambridge IGCSE®
Cambridge O Level
Cambridge ICE
Cambridge International AS & A Level
Cambridge AICE Diploma
4 www.cie.org.uk/cambridgeprimary
Cambridge Primary has
changed the way we teach, not
only at primary level but thinking
ahead to Cambridge IGCSE. That has
been a great asset.
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www.cie.org.uk/cambridgeprimary
Cambridge Primary provides you with a flexible framework which you can use to tailor the curriculum to your needs. We provide assessment tools to help you identify what children are learning, monitor their progress and report to parents. Cambridge Primary is an excellent preparation for Cambridge Secondary 1, and for progression to other educational systems.
Our curriculum
• sets clear learning objectives in English, mathematics and science for each year of primary education
• focuses on developing knowledge and skills in core subjects which form an excellent foundation for future study
• focuses on learners’ development in each year
• provides a natural progression throughout the years of primary education
• is compatible with other curricula, internationally relevant and sensitive to different needs and cultures
• is suitable for learners whose first language is not English, with an optional English as a second language curriculum
• gives you optional routes to use sections that suit your learners’ needs best
• provides schools with international benchmarks.
Cambridge ICT Starters
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is now part of the educational experience worldwide. It is regarded as a new ‘literacy’, alongside reading, writing and numeracy.
Cambridge ICT Starters introduces learners, within Cambridge Primary and Cambridge Secondary 1 stages, to the key ICT applications they need to acquire that literacy and to understand the impact of technology on our daily lives.
Cambridge Primary
Cambridge Primary is typically for learners aged 5 to 11 years. It develops learner skills and
understanding through the primary years in English, mathematics and science.
Cambridge Primary is taken in over
110
countries6 www.cie.org.uk/cambridgeprimary
Classroom support for
teachers and learners
A range of support resources is available to help teachers plan and deliver Cambridge Primary in English, mathematics and science. Resources are also available for Cambridge ICT Starters. Teachers can access these resources once their school becomes a registered Cambridge school.
Our assessments
Many schools use the Cambridge Primary testing structure to assess learner performance and report progress to learners and parents. Cambridge Primary uses
internationally benchmarked tests, giving parents extra trust in the feedback they receive.
There are two testing options at Primary stage: Cambridge Primary Progression Tests and Cambridge Primary Checkpoint.
Cambridge Primary Progression Tests:
• provide detailed information about the performance of each learner for stages 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the curriculum
• enable teachers to give structured feedback to learners and parents
• enable teachers to compare the strengths and weaknesses of individuals and groups
• are marked by teachers in your school
• come with clear guidance, standards and mark schemes
• can be used at any time during the year
• can be downloaded securely online. Cambridge Primary provides a unique analysis tool for Cambridge Primary Progression Tests – the Cambridge Progress Checker – to track learners’ progress. Using a spreadsheet, teachers upload learners’ test results and can then analyse results and create and print reports. This enables comparisons of a learner’s results
against their class, school or other schools around the world, and on a year-by-year basis.
Cambridge Primary Checkpoint:
• is a test to assess learning at the end of Cambridge Primary and provides evidence of readiness for the next stage
• is available for English, English as a second language, mathematics and science
• tests skills, knowledge and
understanding at the end of stages 4–6 of the curriculum for English, English as a second language, and mathematics, and stages 3–6 of the curriculum for science
• tests are marked in Cambridge to provide an international benchmark of learner performance
• learners receive a statement of achievement and a diagnostic feedback report
• feedback reports show how a learner has performed in relation to the curriculum, their learning group, the whole school, and against all learners who have taken tests in that series around the world.
• helps teachers to monitor group and individual performance, and manage learning programmes.
Resources for teachers of Cambridge Primary
Cambridge Primary
Cambridge ICT Starters
Curriculum frameworks or syllabus
✓
✓
Teacher guides and schemes of work✓
Textbooks and resources from publishers
✓
✓
Training – face-to-face and online✓
Secure online support sites: Teacher
Support, Cambridge Primary online
✓
✓
Subject communities and discussion forums
✓
Online help – frequently asked questionswww.cie.org.uk/help
✓
✓
Testing and assessment tools: Cambridge Progression Tests (stages 3–6) and Cambridge Primary Checkpoint
✓
Progress Checker to analyse marks
from Cambridge Progression Tests
✓
Past/specimen question papers andmark schemes
✓
✓
Examiner reports for Cambridge
Primary Checkpoint
✓
For more details of the support we offer to schools, see page 8.
Cambridge is the gold standard
in education.
Anbarasu Balrasan
, former Principal of Bina Bangsa
School, Indonesia
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8 www.cie.org.uk/teachers
Support for Cambridge teachers
We offer free, secure online support to Cambridge teachers.
Teacher Support
An online resource bank and community forum where teachers can access thousands of Cambridge support resources, exchange lesson ideas and materials, and join subject-specific discussion forums.
Assessment tools
We provide dedicated online support to schools registered to offer Cambridge Primary and Cambridge Secondary 1. Teachers can download Progression Tests and use results analysis tools to monitor learners’ progress.
Ask the Examiner seminars
These sessions take place on Teacher Support after exam results have been released, giving teachers an opportunity to ask examiners any questions they have about the series.
We offer a wide range of support resources to help teachers plan and deliver our programmes and qualifications.
Secure online support
Teaching resources
Our teaching and learning resources help teachers plan and deliver Cambridge programmes.
Syllabus (or curriculum framework)
The most important documents teachers will use. They describe what learners need to know, what they must be able to do, and how they will be assessed.
Schemes of work
A medium-term plan that gives ideas on how teachers might deliver the course.
Teacher guides
Some subjects have teacher guides which provide extra guidance on planning and teaching.
Textbooks and publisher resources
We publish lists of resources to support teaching, including textbooks and websites. Some of these resources are endorsed by Cambridge International Examinations, which means we have quality checked them and judge them to match the syllabus well.
Example candidate responses (standards booklets)
Real candidate answers are shown
9 Our comprehensive professional
development programme includes training courses and qualifications for teachers and school leaders at different stages of their careers.
We provide information after each exam series to help teachers understand the standard of Cambridge exams and prepare learners effectively.
Past question papers
We publish past papers for each subject. Great for giving learners practice at answering different types of question.
Examiner reports
Our principal examiners write detailed reports describing learners’ overall
performance on each part of the question. The reports give insight into common misconceptions shown by learners, which teachers can address in lessons.
Grade thresholds
These show the minimum number of marks learners needed to achieve in order to be awarded a particular grade.
Mark schemes
These help teachers understand how marks are awarded for each question and what examiners look for when they mark.
Exam preparation materials
Professional development
www.cie.org.uk/teachers
Cambridge Professional Development includes Introductory Training, Extension Training and Enrichment Professional Development. Our aim is to help Cambridge schools improve the quality of teaching and learning. We work with teachers and school leaders to build confidence in teaching Cambridge qualifications and transform classroom practice.
We hold face-to-face training workshops around the world, as well as webinars and online training.
Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications
10 www.cie.org.uk/startcambridge When you become a Cambridge
school, you join a worldwide education community. Our range of activities includes community events for Cambridge school leaders and heads of department,
professional development events including our annual Cambridge Schools Conference, workshops with
Cambridge experts where you can learn at your own pace, and online ‘Examiner Feedback’ question and answer sessions. You have free and unlimited access to Teacher Support, our secure online support for
Cambridge teachers where you can share resources and ideas, get access to Cambridge experts and explore
discussion forums. You can also use our LinkedIn group to network with Cambridge teachers.
Learners have access to online resources such as study guides and sample questions. We also have a Facebook page where learners can take part in debate, with Cambridge and with each other.
Join the Cambridge community
Join our community and be part of a global network of more than 10 000 schools in over 160 countries.
Delegates at Cambridge Schools Conferences start to
work in harmony, facing similar problems and seeking the
same solutions.
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Learn more!
Getting in touch with Cambridge is easy:
Email: info@cie.org.uk Call: +44 1223 553554
Visit: www.cie.org.uk
www.cie.org.uk/startcambridge
Sign up for email alerts
For the latest updates on our new products and services – and to sign up for email alerts – go to
www.cie.org.uk/new
Start working with us
On completing the registration process, we will send you a Welcome to Cambridge pack. This contains a wide range of support materials to get you started.
Classroom support
You will receive a range of excellent support for teachers and learners, to help deliver Cambridge education programmes and qualifications in every classroom.
Teaching and learning
Our website provides resources to support teaching and learning in your school. The resources explore different aspects of educational practice, from designing a
curriculum to improving the quality of classroom activity. More details at www.cie.org.uk/teaching-and-learning
Fees
We charge each school an annual registration fee, plus fees for each examination entry.
Communications support
The communications toolkit on our website is full of materials to help schools explain Cambridge programmes to parents, students and others.
The toolkit includes factsheets, posters, presentations, videos and press releases. Registered Cambridge schools can also find our logo here, together with guidelines about how to use it.
Just go to www.cie.org.uk/toolkit
Administration support
You will be able to use CIE Direct, our online tool for exams officers, which allows you to communicate securely with us and exchange all administrative information, including exam entries and results, entry instruction booklets and other documentation.
You can always contact us if you need help, or simply have a question that is on your mind. We are pleased to say that our customer service is rated as the best in its class.
What next?
If you would like to take Cambridge programmes and qualifications, and are already a Cambridge
school, please contact us – our details are below. If you are not a Cambridge school already, you
need to register first. There are four simple steps and we will guide you.
You can find more information at
www.cie.org.uk/startcambridge
There are four steps to
becoming a Cambridge school:
Become a Cambridge school
Step one: Express your interestWe aim to contact you within two working days of submitting your expression of interest.
Step two: Complete our Application Form
We aim to contact you within five working days of submitting your Application Form.
Step three: We carry out an approval visit
We will arrange a time that is convenient to you.
Step four: You become a Cambridge school
Cambridge International Examinations
1 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB1 2EU, United Kingdom t: +44 1223 553554 f: +44 1223 553558
e: info@cie.org.uk www.cie.org.uk
® IGCSE is the registered trademark of Cambridge International Examinations
© Cambridge International Examinations, October 2016
